The present invention relates in general to bulk material containers, and more particularly to a bulk material container with a door movable over a rectilinear path.
Bulk material containers with side doors or outlets are employed for storing and handling materials containing contaminants or containing food products and chemicals requiring contamination free conditions or for transporting corrosive or dangerous materials. In handling poisons or the like, an operator should not be exposed to the dangerous material. The sealing of the door as well as the activation of the door is of concern in protecting the operator from exposure to or contact with dangerous material and also to prevent the contamination of food products and chemicals.
Side outlet bulk material containers have been manufactured and sold with hinged doors and the seals therefor were inadequate. It is believed that the inadequate seals were present because of the inability to exert sufficient pressure on all edge surfaces of the door to obtain the required seal.
In the patent to McKinney, U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,996, there is disclosed a bulk material container. The contents of the bin are discharged through a circular opening in the front wall of the bin. A door is moved in the axial direction of the circular opening for the closure and opening of the circular opening. A splined shaft actuates a shaft secured to the door for axial movement to open the access opening against the urgency of a spring. The spring applies a force to a shaft on which the door is secured for the closing of the access opening.
Side outlet bulk material containers have been heretofore manufactured and sold by Hoover Universal. Such side outlet bulk material containers have been manufactured and sold with tiltable unloaders. When the hinged door was opened, the container unloaded under the force of gravity while the container was tilted. In other instances, the container was unloaded by means of a screw conveyor.